If elected, King would enter the Senate with a leg up — not just as a result of his experience in both the public and private sectors, but because former governors get a modicum more respect than other newcomers. Why? Because governors have to produce results.

Just as important, King holds something that Democrats and Republicans each want: his vote. Whatever the outcome of the national election, the partisan margin in the Senate will be close. An unaffiliated King just might have more leverage than your run-of-the-mill, party-sponsored freshman.

Does King walk on water? Not yet. If King were elected, we are fairly certain that over time we would have some bones to pick with him. But we are confident that King will stick to his principles of moderation and thoughtful consideration.

King has the capacity to emerge as a well-respected Washington player — as Snowe was and is.

A vote for King will reaffirm the values that Maine holds dear: independence, moderation, thoughtfulness, seriousness, and a powerful sense of duty to the greater good.

BEST 2014: EDITORS' PICKS | May 15, 2014 Our ‘Best of’ categories are quite comprehensive (see our supplement in this issue), but there’s a lot of stuff they don’t cover — things that defy categorization, things we didn’t even know needed to be honored until we saw/experienced/enjoyed them.